Never Judge a Book by Its Cover
2 Corinthians 11:6 But though I be rude in speech, yet not in knowledge; but we have been throughly made manifest among you in all things.
Intro: In 2 Corinthians 11, we see:
A. Paul’s Folly – vs. 1
· 1 Would to God ye could bear with me a little in my folly: and indeed bear with me.
B. Paul’s Focus – vs. 2
· 2 For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.
C. Paul’s Fear – vs. 3
· 3 But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.
D. Paul’s Frustration – vs. 4, 5
· 4 For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.
· 5 For I suppose I was not a whit behind the very chiefest apostles.
E. Paul’s Flaws
Paul felt that he was rude in speech.
RUDE: 2399 ἰδιώτης idiotes id-ee-o’-tace
· a private person as opposed to a magistrate, ruler, king
· a common soldier, as opposed to a military officer
· a writer of prose as opposed to a poet
· in the NT, an unlearned, illiterate, man as opposed to the
· learned and educated: one who is unskilled in any art
F. Paul’s Fitness – the rest of the chapter!
Paul said: I might not be the most polished, most eloquent, most articulate man around.
You might look at me and not see much.
You might not be impressed with what you see.
But you’d be making a serious mistake to judge this book by its cover!!
I know what God has done for me.
I know what God has called me to do.
I know what God has put in my heart.
I know what God has accomplished through my life.
I refuse to let the world define who I am and what God has for me.
Paul said, You might hear me preach and roll your eyes.
You might laugh and scoff and think I’m an idiot.
But that is where you’re wrong!
I might be rude in speech – I’ll give you that.
But don’t feel that I am a whit behind the very chiefest apostle!! (vs. 5)
Paul admitted that his speech might be rude, but in spite of that…
I. He was Biblical in his Exhortation – 6b“…yet not in knowledge…”
SEE 1 Corinthians 2:1-16
II. He was Blameless in his Ethics – 6c we have been throughly made manifest among you in all things.
2 Corinthians 12
· 11 I am become a fool in glorying; ye have compelled me: for I ought to have been commended of you: for in nothing am I behind the very chiefest apostles, though I be nothing.
· 12 Truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all patience, in signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds.
III. He was Bold in his Example – vs. 7-12
IV. He was Blunt in his Exposing – vs. 13-15
V. He was Broken in his Experiences – vs. 16-33
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